


we let the water rise

by El_ephants



Series: Arsonist's Lullaby [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Child Soldiers, Everyone is Supportive, F/M, Firebending & Firebenders, Flashbacks, Friends to Lovers, How Do I Tag, I'm Going to Hell, Implied Kidnapping, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Torture, Part 1, Season 1, Supportive Iroh, Supportive OC - Freeform, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, War, Waterbending & Waterbenders, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, but mostly for backstory, eventually, no beta we die like men, probably, supportive zuko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 07:28:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21249659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/El_ephants/pseuds/El_ephants
Summary: The avatar was supposed to be dead. Kita was perfectly content to sail to world with her best friend and never get involved with the War.That's not how things turned out.





	we let the water rise

**Author's Note:**

> this is the first half of season 1. I'm sorry it took so long, I promise part 2 won't. I plan on part 2 being up before thanksgiving... we'll see.
> 
> just for reference, this spans from The Boy in the Iceberg to Jet, but only covers relating episodes. Part 2 will cover The Great Divide to The Siege of the North, Part 2 and will also only cover relating episodes.
> 
> this has so little editing, I should be ashamed of myself.
> 
> please read parts one and two in the series first, thanks.

The thing about the South is that Kita never expected it to be cold. Naturally, she knew growing up that her sister tribe lived by the south pole, but she had always thought of the Fire Nation, with its volcanic archipelago and firebenders, to the _ south _ and thought warm. She had thought of the Earth Kingdom, with its deserts and rock-dwellers, to the _ south _ and thought warm. She never thought you could go so far south it gets cold like the north.

So when the air grew cold and snow began to glitter down from the sky and Kita needed her red coat to go outside, she was confused.

And also feverish like half of the crew. Jee looked as miserable as she felt when she shuffled passed him in the hall, both of them trying to trudge through what felt like the flu and failing.

Kita pushed open the heavy metal door to the deck and sniffled loudly, pulling her blanket tighter around her shoulders.

“Set a course for the light!” Zuko was shouting.

Kita winced. _ Why did he always have to shout? _ “I thought you said we were going south,” she groused, then coughed into her hand loudly and sniffled again.

Zuko blinked at her, his eyebrow raised but his features hard. “We are.”

“You should be in bed, Kita,” Iroh softly chastised, “you’ll catch your death out here.”

“I’ve got my blanket and my coat and my sweater and Zuko’s robe, I’m fine, Iroh.”

“You went through my stuff?!”

She winced as his volume once again spiked. “Why is it so cold if we’re in the south?” Uncle and Nephew both stared at her, a bit dumbfounded, so she continued. “I thought it was supposed to be hot in the south, but this just feels like the north to me.”

Iroh seemed to understand her reasoning and stepped forward. “The south pole is cold like the north,” or not, since that didn’t really compute. “The further south you go, it’ll eventually start getting cold again. I have a geography book you may read, if you’d like, but for now I must insist you go back to bed.”

Iroh _ did _ have a point, Kita was _ really tired _, but she also needed to know what the spirits he was on about. “That doesn’t make any sense. Why are firebenders so hot if its so cold?”

Sighing, Iroh took her by the arm and led her back into the ship, “the Southern Water Tribe is farther south than the Fire Nation. The book will explain it all, don’t worry.” 

Too tired to continue her argument, Kita simply nodded and allowed herself to be sat on her bed and left alone. She slumped to the side and curled up, out within moments.

The door creaked open and Kita jerked, coughing and rubbing her pounding head. A short bald boy stood in her doorway, looking extremely apologetic.

“Sorry,” he whispered, backing slightly out of the room, “go back to sleep.”

Kita blinked lazily at him before coming to her senses a little, “you’re not part of the crew,” she accused, though there was no bite, and snuggled deeper into her pile of blankets.

There was a noise from down the hall and the boy panicked, stepping further into the room and closing the door, hiding behind it when it opened again.

“Kita,” Zuko stated, his voice softer than his face, “sorry to wake you, but-”

“Hi,” she interrupted sleepily.

The prince blinked at her, clearly confused and huffed a breath, “have you seen the avatar?”

Kita saw the boy slip away and wondered briefly if he was just part of her dream. After all, how could an airbender be alive? “Dunno. But there was a bald kid with arrows. Hey, do you think he’s an airbender? I think I was dreaming.”

Zuko sighed, pulled a fresh candle from the table’s drawer and lit it, melting enough wax on the bottom to stick to the table, knowing she liked to rest with a lit room. “Get some sleep,” he ordered and left to room in a hurry, the door clanging shut behind him.

Kita dozed for a few minutes before drifting off into a fitful sleep.

The ship jerking wildly is what woke her. The brief moment of panic and disorientation that only came from being woken very suddenly struck her and she flailed out of her bed, landing on the cold metal floor with a thud. Sniffling loudly, Kita dragged herself to her feet and shuffled out into the hall with her blanket bundled around her shoulders.

A rough cough dragged from her lungs as she made her way through the halls, finally making it to the deck as the ship lurched once more, forcing Kita to stumble. 

To say finding the deck _ covered _ in snow and ice a shock would be an understatement. But the giant flying.. _ thing _ slowly disappearing into the sky was an even _ bigger _ shock.

Kita blinked at the scene in front of her with blatant confusion. Two guards were frozen in ice. “How did they freeze?”

Zuko was coughing on the deck where he’d been hauled out of the water. His head snapped up to look at her, thinly veiled rage on his face, but Kita could tell that he wasn’t angry with her, or at least her brain wasn’t functioning well enough to recognize the emotion. “What are you doing out of bed?” 

The bite in his voice, on the other hand, was easy to hear and Kita took a step back, hunching further into her blanket cocoon. She glanced over at the frozen soldiers then looked back at Zuko. “The ship shook, I don’t…”

“Kita,” Iroh interrupted before anything further happened. “Perhaps you could help us here and then go back to bed?”

The tribeswoman nodded, looking a little dazed, but shyly handed over her blanket so she could melt the ice and pull the water off the soldiers. It only took a moment to rid both soldiers and the bow of ice, but it left Kita winded. Iroh was at her side as soon as she was finished, wrapping her back up in her blanket and ushering her back inside to rest.

**-|-|-|-**

By the time they managed to limp to the nearest port, Kita - along with most of the crew - was back to full health. Though excited at the prospect of seeing land again after being at sea for so long, Kita had her reservations. Fire Nation ports made her anxious, especially seeing as she had to pretend she was.. less than a willing employee on Zuko and Iroh’s ship.

Though this was _ far _ from her favorite thing to do, the reward of dry land beneath her feet and new things to see was always worth it.

Until she saw who was standing at the end of the gangplank. The bickering between Zuko and Iroh faded to static as Kita locked eyes with Captain Zhao before swiftly averting her gaze, looking down at her feet as her hands tightened to fists at her sides. The others didn’t seem to notice her discomfort or the cause of it until Zhao opened his mouth and spoke.

“Getting in the way of _ what _, Prince Zuko?”

Zuko’s ire at whatever Iroh had been saying immediately turned to the Captain, his dislike of the man clear in his voice as he addressed him. “Captain Zhao.”

Zhao gave a greasy smirk, “it’s _ Commander _ now,” before bowing to Iroh. “General Iroh. Great hero of our nation.”

“_ Retired _general,” Iroh was quick to correct.

“The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcome guests anytime. Especially when you bring back my little water peasant.” Kita saw Zuko stiffen in her peripheral and bowed her head more, a trembling beginning in her limbs, but Zhao continued before he could comment, “now, what brings you to my harbor?”

“Our ship is being repaired,” Iroh replied, the only tell of anger in his voice being the slightly strained way he spoke. Zhao wouldn’t be able to notice, but Kita could tell.

_ ‘Is he angry I didn’t tell them? Zuko definitely is, but is Iroh?’ _ her thoughts seemed to spiral into barely contained panic at the thought of them being angry. How was she supposed to know Zuko didn’t get along with Zhao? _ ‘What if they let him take me back? What if they sell me off? They know, they know, they know.’ _

While she’d been quietly panicking, the three men had been continuing their conversation. She tuned back in when she heard Zuko snap. She wasn’t sure what he was mad at Zhao for, but flinched nonetheless. Iroh stopped the situation from escalating as he was typically very good at, “Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao some respect.” He removed his hand from his nephew’s shoulder and Kita was left wondering when it got there in the first place. “We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favorite.”

Iroh followed Zhao while Zuko hung back a bit, practically growling. He bent an arc of flames in his annoyance before moving to follow. Kita trailed helplessly behind.

“Zuko..?” she asked, quiet and nervous. “Are you mad?”

“Of course I am,” he snapped, but faltered in his step when he looked at her wide eyes and her hands clenched in front of her. His face softened as he brushed a hand down her arm. “Not at you,” Zuko murmured, “don’t worry. Uncle and I won’t let him hurt you.”

Inside Zhao’s tent, Zuko was seated at the table with Kita standing just behind him, head bowed and hands loosely clasped in front of her. Iroh was behind her, but she wasn’t entirely sure what it was that he was doing.

“... And by the year's end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule,” Zhao concluded his _ victory speech _. Kita had been subjected to enough of those to want her eardrums permanently damaged. The Commander turned to the three and away from his map. “The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war.”

Kita barely contained a snide remark while Zuko seemed happy to bowl right over Fire Nation social etiquette. “If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool!”

Silently, Kita agreed completely, outwardly (and inwardly) she was shocked. Zuko very rarely spoke ill of his father. It seemed almost like the image of him overrode the reality and Zuko was just fooling himself into thinking the Fire Lord was just and right to escape the pain of realizing how abusive he’d been to him.

Zhao gave the same oily smirk he did on the docks, “two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue.” 

_ ‘Two and a half,’ _ Kita silently corrected.

“How is your search for the Avatar going? Or have you allowed yourself to be distracted by a water slut with perky tits?”

Behind them, thankfully before Zuko could attack the man and cause them all to be arrested, Iroh knocked something over. Kita startled, but didn’t turn, she wasn’t supposed to turn. “Erm.. my fault entirely,” he stated, sounding sheepish.

“We haven’t found him yet,” Zuko growled, voice low in his throat. “And the water tribe girl is my property now. What I do with _ my property _ is none of your concern. Had you kept a better eye on your things, she’d still be yours to worry about.”

Kita was completely thrown by the whole conversation. She knew this was all an act, but even still, Zuko’s words made her nervous. _ “What I do with _ my property _ is none of your concern.’ _ He’d never consider hurting her, not on purpose and she _ knew _ that. Zuko was an aggressive, angry teenager with a slew of family issues, but he wasn’t violent without reason. _ ‘But what if you give him a reason?’ _ Kita shivered, realising that once again, she’d zoned out their conversation. She needed to _ stop freaking out _ and _ pay attention _.

A soldier entered the tent, “Commander Zhao,” he reported, “we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape.”

The greasy smirk returned to Zhao’s smug face. “Now remind me,” he starts, casually walking over and leaning close to Zuko to speak directly in his ear. “How, _ exactly _, was your ship damaged?”

Zhao had quickly realized Zuko would be uncooperative, as would Iroh, though the retired general had more tact than his nephew. While Zuko and Iroh were both sat in chairs, the latter guzzling tea seemingly just to annoy Zhao at this point. The Commander turned his attentions to Kita after barrating Zuko for fudging his first opportunity at the Avatar. He prowled over to her and leaned down to be eye level.

Drawing strength from Zuko’s angry presence, she raised her gaze to meet his and set her jaw.

“I’ll be back for you, little water peasant.” He straightened his back and looked to the guards. “Keep them here,” he ordered and left.

Zuko growled and slammed his foot onto the surface of the table, breaking it in two. Iroh, completely unfazed, lifted his empty cup at one of the guards, “more tea please.”

Neither guard responded and Kita stepped over to the broken table. “May I sit?”

Iroh waved a hand at the empty seat, smiling kindly at her as she sunk down with a heavy sigh and slumped. 

“So you were Zhao’s slave.”

Her back straightened up again of its own accord. She looked at Zuko, making eye contact despite wanting nothing more than to look at the floor. “Yes,” she replied, despite it being a clear statement and not a question.

“And you didn’t think that information was important?” he snapped. 

Iroh frowned, looking like he was about to shut his nephew down, but Kita beat him to it. “I didn’t know you two were enemies, let alone that you even knew each other.”

Zuko fumed, “you should’ve told me regardless!”

“I don’t like to talk about it,” Kita responded, lowering her gaze back to the floor. “He wasn’t.. gentle.”

From her periphery, she could see Iroh giving Zuko a hard look and the prince had the decency to look chastised.

The three of them had sat in silence, waiting for whatever Zhao had up his sleeve. When he finally returned, he flung the tent flaps aside with an unnecessary amount of flair. “My search party is ready,” Zhao told the trio. “Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you'll be free to go.” 

Zuko glared at the ground, spitting venomously, “why? Are you afraid I’m going to try and stop you?”

Zhao barked a laugh, “you? Stop me?” he taunted, “impossible.”

“Don't underestimate me Zhao! I will capture the Avatar before you!” Zuko snapped, temper clearly so shot from the day’s events that it took little to no provocation to anger him.

Iroh stood from his chair, looking sternly at his nephew, “Prince Zuko, that’s enough.”

Zhao, overconfident as always, easily retorted Zuko’s statement, ignoring Iroh, “You can't compete with me. I have hundreds of war ships under my command and you? You're just a banished prince. No home, no allies. Your own father doesn't even want you.”

_ ‘Maybe Ozai doesn’t, but Iroh and I do. Zuko’s like a son to Iroh and to me.. I don’t know what he is to me, but he’s _ more _ than wanted.’ _ Kita held her tongue from making any harsh comebacks and continued to watch the two Fire Nation men face off.

“You're wrong!” Zuko shot back, practically snarling. If he were a dog, he’d be foaming at the mouth. “Once I deliver the Avatar to my father he will welcome me home with honor, and restore my rightful place on the throne!”

Hiding a wince, Kita locked eyes with Iroh. His golden brown eyes were filled with pity and she knew that he understood his brother’s cruelty better than her. Ozai would never willingly accept his son.

“If your father really wanted you home, he would have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar. But in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation.” 

Despite the icy cold fury she could feel completely overriding her lingering fear, Kita had to admit to herself that she agreed with Zhao’s words. Zuko was not a failure or disgrace, but his father couldn’t possibly feel any love for him after the cruel treatment he put Zuko through. Truth was, even if Zuko brought the Avatar to Ozai on a silver platter, she didn’t think he would be safe there at all. The Fire Lord didn’t want his son to return, period.

“That’s not true,” Zuko growled, sending a pang through Kita’s heart.

_ ‘He wants his father to love him so badly.’ _

Then Zhao said something that made Kita nearly jump out of her seat. “You have the scar to prove it.” One look at Iroh told her he felt the same way, but he stayed still and silent, aside from a twitch of the hand, telling her to stand down.

“Maybe you’d like one to match!” Zuko shouted, getting in Zhao’s face with a cry of anger.

“Is that a challenge?” Zhao mocked.

“An agni kai. At sunset,” Zuko corrected, much to Kita’s confusion. 

“Very well. It's a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you.” Zhao turned around, towards the door, “I guess your uncle will do. Oh, and my water peasant?” His lingering eyes turned to Kita, “when I win, I want my slave back.”

He left the tent and Kita shivered.

Iroh gently asked, after Zhao was clear of hearing range, “Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened last time you dueled a master?”

“I will never forget,” Zuko responded, not looking at his uncle.

Kita thought back on her time in Zhao’s… care and couldn’t stop the shudder that wracked through her. No, she couldn’t do that again. _ Never _ again. Her arms wrapped around herself and she hunched over her knees, still seated in her chair. “Zuko,” she called softly, “I can’t do that again. I can’t _ live like that _ again.”

Zuko didn’t turn, his fists were still clenched at his sides, but they loosened when she spoke. “You won’t,” he declared, sounding so sure of himself. “I won’t let him win.”

Knowing he’d do everything to prevent her from falling into Zhao’s clutches and convincing her paranoia of it were two different things. She couldn’t get her hands to stop shaking. “I would sooner throw myself from his ship then let him touch me again.”

Perhaps it was her words or maybe the way she said them, but Zuko and Iroh both turned to look at her, shock on their faces, though she was blind to it as she stared down at her feet. The former stepped over to her and crouched in front of her, pulled her hands away from where they were digging into her ribs so he could hold them. “Kita,” he said, oh so softly, “he will never touch you so long as I draw breath. That, I swear to you. Uncle and I would never allow that to happen. Hey, look at me.” Finally, she managed to drag her eyes away from their staring contest with the floor to look into his brilliant gold eyes. “We will not let him hurt you. _ I _will never let him hurt you.” 

Maybe it was the way he said it or the way his eyes were molten pools of honesty and empathy or the way Iroh laid his hands on their shoulders in a show of solidarity, but Kita believed, with all her heart, that he was telling the truth.

She looked into his flaming eyes and believed every word he spoke.

“Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko,” Iroh reminded his nephew, “they are your greatest weapons.”

Zuko nodded, face stuck in a glare, “I refuse to let him win.” Slowly, the prince reached up from his crouched position to touch Kita’s hand gently. “He won’t get you.”

Taking comfort in his words and actions, Kita nodded, a short, jerky motion due to her straight-backed, tense posture.

A gong sounded and Zuko stood, turning to face his opponent in nothing but a pair of red pants, a gold band on each of his biceps. Across the arena, Zhao mirrors Zuko’s movements. The two begin the duel in a flurry of fiery movements. Kita watches, transfixed as Zhao takes a blast from Zuko head on, but dissipates it by raising his arms in front of him and separating them. From where she stands, Kita can see Zuko panting.

_ ‘He’s tiring himself out,’ _she thought to herself, chewing on her lip and fiddling with her fingers.

Zuko, clearly agitated, sent a roundhouse kick of powerful flames towards Zhao, though he seemed almost unfazed by it.

“Basics, Zuko!” Iroh shouted, one fist raised and clearly cheering his nephew on, “break his root!”

But the Commander was fast in his bulk and, in a blur of fire Kita couldn’t quite keep up with, Zuko ended up on the ground. Leaping forward towards his next victim, Zhao landed just in front of Zuko and, just as it seems like he’d deliver the final blow, Zuko spun his legs around and flipped onto his feet, having taken Zhao’s legs out from under him in the process, though he managed to quickly correct his footing. Each step Zuko took forward, he slid fire at Zhao’s feet, forcing the older man back and destabilizing his balance. With two more kicks, Zhao ended up on his back with Zuko standing over him, one arm raised to strike.

“Do it!” Zhao shouted.

With a grunt, Zuko brought his hand down, blasting the ground by the Commander’s head.

“That’s it?” Zhao taunted, clearly trying his luck, “your father raised a coward.”

“Next time you get in my way,” Zuko responded, anger clear in his voice, “I promise, I won’t hold back.”

Kita, encouraged by Iroh, started towards Zuko with his uncle as the prince turned his back on Zhao and began to make his way towards the duo. With the feeling of a massive weight lifted from her chest, Kita smiled, the commander getting to his feet an almost unnoticed thing in the background.

Unnoticed until he spun around and aimed a kick directly at Zuko, but before he could cause damage and before Kita could respond, Iroh grabbed Zhao’s foot in one hand, blocking the blow from ever reaching his nephew. Seemingly effortlessly, Iroh shoves the man back and to the ground.

Zuko made to lunge back at Zhao, but Iroh held him back, “no, Prince Zuko. Do not taint your victory.” He turned to Zhao, voice condescending, “so this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you.” 

Zuko looked at Iroh, shock so clear in his stance that it made Kita’s heart hurt. She wanted Zuko to know how appreciated he was, and how much Iroh loved him. She loved him too, of course, as any friend would, but felt that would be an awkward thing to say. 

“Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious,” Iroh would have normally bowed after a statement like that, but clearly, Zhao did not deserve that respect.

As the three of them made their way out of the arena, Zuko asked softly, “did you really mean that, Uncle?”

“Of course he did, Zuko,” Kita responded instantly, “you’re one of the most honorable men I’ve ever met.” She gave him a light smile before squaring her shoulders, “now, I’m going back to the ship.” 

Iroh nodded at her, “we’ll be right over,” and looked at Zuko as she moved a little quicker, clearly meaning to talk a little sense into him in that steady, calm way of his.

Or not, as she heard him say, “Of course. I told you ginseng tea is my favorite.” Looked like she’d have to knock _ both _ of their heads together… when she was feeling more steady, of course. Seeing Zhao again after only a couple of years, after everything he did to her, for _ years _, it was troubling her more than she’d admit.

**-|-|-|-**

_ Nightmares were a common occurrence aboard the _ Wani _ . The first time Kita had heard a shout from down the hall, she had bolted out of bed and shakily made her way down the hall. The door to Zuko’s room was cracked open and she had tried to get a peek inside, but had been interrupted by another cry from in the room. _

_ Kita had mustered whatever courage she had and stepped inside. Zuko has been writhing on his bed, pleading whimpers leaving his lips and Kita couldn’t find it in herself to leave him alone to find Iroh. Instead, she had called his name and touched his face, only for him to jerk away with a choked noise. She grabbed his hand instead and talked. _

_ Kita was terrible at speaking like a normal person. Years as a slave had taught her not to speak unless asked a direct question, but this was the boy who had babbled endlessly until she stopped panicking under a table. She talked about anything that came to mind until he calmed and his eyes opened. _

_ “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t be in here,” she had said and bowed her head deeply, hands coming up to form the traditional Fire Nation bow. _

_ ( _ Zuko thought it looked wrong on her _ .) _

_ “I heard you shouting and I didn’t want you to suffer if I could help.” _

_ She had stayed in her bow until Zuko had touched her shoulder, fingers feather-light. “Thank you,” was all he said before politely dismissing her. _

_ Nightmares were a common occurrence aboard the _ Wani _ . It hadn’t taken long for the peaceful (as peaceful as it _ could be _ with an abused, angry prince aboard) nights to grow alive with screams. The first few nights after Kita became an unofficial member of the crew were silent as ever. She was quiet and her room stayed quiet at night. Zuko didn’t know if that was because she unconsciously stifled herself or if she just didn’t sleep. _

_ About a week and a half after her arrival on board, Zuko was disturbed from his nightly meditation by a terrified shrieking just down the hall. The easiest process-of-elimination pegged the feminine screaming to the only girl aboard his ship and he hauled ass to her room, fearful of what could’ve been happening to her. He knew that his crew were good men with strong enough moral compasses, but these were hard seas and harder times. _

_ Thankfully, his fears were proven false when he’d busted her door open and found only Kita. She’d crammed herself into the corner of her room beside a suspicious looking pile of blankets on the floor. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with her, other than she just _ wouldn’t stop screaming _ . _

_ Zuko had crouched beside her, trying to make himself as small as he could, and spoke. He talked for a few minutes, long enough for Kita to wake fully and stop screaming, and held out a hand when he noticed she seemed aware. _

_ The girl had apologized profusely, despite Zuko’s reassurances, but walked to the mess hall with him anyway. Zuko thought he caught sight of Lieutenant Jee and Uncle ducking behind a corner, but he couldn’t have been sure. _

_ He got Kita some left over sticky buns (“sorry, Uncle, we’ll get more next port.”) and tea and sat with her while they ate and drank. Zuko, knowing how uncomfortable it could make someone, easily avoided staring at the scars on her unwrapped arms while Kita _ did not _ show the same respect and _ wrinkled her nose at the tea he made _ . Perhaps things were different in the Northern Water Tribe because that’s just _ rude _ . _

_ Or maybe not. Zuko needs to learn how to make better tea. _

_ Nightmares were a common occurrence aboard the _ Wani _ . Iroh knew well the issue of nightmares. He had his fair share after Lu Ten’s death. _

_ He knew his precious nephew had nightmares of the Agni Kai that nearly took one of his eyes (Iroh knew Zuko couldn’t see from it anymore, but at least it wasn’t _ too _ disfigured). He also knew this little Water Tribe girl would wake him with her own when she settled enough. _

_ The first time it happened, Iroh spilled his tea on himself and ran down the hall with Lieutenant Jee on his heels. The two had watched Zuko successfully calm and wake her. They then watched him take her to the mess and make _ terrible _ tea and feed her _ Iroh’s sticky buns _ . _

_ He allowed it since Kita would undoubtedly beg forgiveness on her knees (which would bring up memories for Zuko) and Zuko would defend himself with hostility (which would probably stir something up for Kita). Besides, the children were bonding and Iroh could always get more sticky buns at their next stop. _

_ For a long moment, Iroh looked at Jee and Jee stared back. _

_ “How’re we gonna deal with _ two _ messed up fourteen-year-olds, Sir?” _

_ Iroh hadn’t had an answer to that. _

**-|-|-|-**

Kita hasn’t been herself. She knows this, but after their encounter with Commander Zhao, she couldn’t quite shake herself free of her own fear and paranoia. 

The first few days after their run in with the highly unpleasant man had left Kita locked in her room. The only reason she had come out was because Lieutenant Jee had slipped on the deck, as the crew often does, and hurt himself. She had quietly healed the man in the infirmary and allowed Iroh to coax her into eating with him and Zuko. Which he then invited her to the next day. And the next. And the next, until a couple weeks had passed and Kita was feeling a little more settled, back in her own skin and more present in her surroundings. 

Zuko hadn’t even touched his food before the server, a nice older man named Xin, relayed a message he’d gotten from a fisherman. 

“The Avatar’s on Kyoshi Island?!” Zuko shouted as he sprung to his feet. 

Kita startled at the sudden noise and stared as he told his uncle to ready the rhinos. 

“Are you going to finish that?” Iroh called out to him. 

Zuko, who had left the room, stomped back and snatched his plate up, “I was going to save it for later!” He shouted before he stomped back out of the room. 

Kita fiddled with her chopsticks and delicately picked up some rice and fish before eating it just as delicately. 

“You haven’t said much recently, my dear. What’s been on your mind?”

Looking at the kind face of one of the only people she trusted, Kita heaved a sigh. “I’ve just been… processing everything that’s happened.”

Iroh made a face like he understood and didn’t like the information. “Commander Zhao?” Kita nodded and carefully stuffed food into her mouth to avoid speaking. “As long as my nephew and I can help it, we won’t let him hurt you ever again.”

Though she didn’t voice it, Kita was afraid that he was wrong, that Zhao would get to her anyway. She stuffed more food in her mouth.

Zuko had somehow roped her into going to shore to find the Avatar. Though she would _ not _ \- and _ consistently reminded him _ of it - help him in capturing said airbender, it _ was _ nice to be on land again. Kyoshi Island was a beautiful place and, as soon as they arrived, it turned into a very hostile place. 

Kita and Iroh were the only two people meandering behind the group un-armored. _ Well _, Iroh still had a chestplate on, but other than that they were particularly vulnerable.

“If he starts burning this lovely little village down, we’re gonna have _ words _.”

Iroh chuckled good-naturedly and grinned over at her, “I’m sure your _ words _ will swiftly turn into _ actions _.”

Kita let out a low grumble and slouched a little in her saddle. “Your nephew can be an idiot sometimes, you know that?”

“Yes, he certainly can,” Iroh agreed easily. “But he only wishes to go home.”

Kita hummed noncommittally. She knew that his homesickness, and the overwhelming need for his father’s approval, were the main driving forces to Zuko’s ambitious attempts at capturing the little Avatar. Having been stolen away from her home at a young age, but still old enough to _ know _ what home was, Kita could understand his loneliness. He wanted to make his father proud, “regain his honor,” and return home. In many ways, Kita felt she related to his struggles. Her honor (though the Northern Water Tribe didn’t put so much cultural importance in it, she still _ grew up _ in the Fire Nation with most of their teachings) was lost when she failed to protect her mother and was subsequently taken, she _ did _ wish she could provide a sense of pride for her family rather than the probable heartache they felt, and she _ longed _ for the frozen tundra of the North. Their circumstances were vastly different, but Kita knew the reason they got along _ so well _ was because they _ understood _ each other.

Up ahead, Kita heard Zuko calling out to the Avatar and quirked an eyebrow. “He _ really _ wants to come off as a bad guy, huh?”

Iroh shrugged, “you should’ve seen how he handled the Southern Water Tribe.”

Kita sighed a long suffering sigh and continued meandering into the village. Into view of the quaint little village, Kita watched with an unimpressed sort of detachment as Zuko and his Imperial firebenders fought against the town’s own fighting force. Kita had to admit that the warriors (all women, which filled her with _ so much pride _) were fairly formidable. 

“Nice try, Avatar,” Zuko shouted after having taken out a few of them, “but these little girls can’t save you!”

“Now I’m rooting for the girls!” Kita called out to him, simply grinning and leaning forward on her saddle when Zuko shot a glare at her. “Don’t be sexist! These are lovely warrior women and I wanna watch them kick your ass for being a jerk!”

She knew that Zuko, and the Fire Nation as a whole, was inherently _ un _ sexist, but it still _ sounded _ like he was belittling them just for being young women - even though, logically, he was trying to bait the Avatar out of hiding.

“Hey, over here!” the little monk shouted. Apparently baiting him would work fairly easily.

If it hadn’t been for Kita’s typically very active hypervigilance, she would’ve missed the fairly weak water whip aimed at her. In an obviously _ firebender _ move, Kita’s leg shot out in an arc and jerked the water from the girl’s control. She quickly realized this must’ve been who had frozen the guards at the South Pole.

“You’re a _ waterbender _ ?” the girl asked as Kita simply let the water drop to the ground with an unimpressed look. “Why work for the _ enemy _?”

Kita righted herself in her saddle and glanced over at the benders currently burning buildings. “There’s a lot you need to learn about the world, miss,” she replied semi-cryptically. _ Ugh _, too much time with Iroh would have you speaking in tongues.

“I think you’re going to have to knock some sense into my nephew, my dear,” Iroh sighed.

Kita looked down at the girl and gave her a once-over, “the Northern Tribe won’t teach a woman much about fighting, but I’m sure you can find a way. If Master Pakku is still there, he should relent eventually.” The girl seemed _ very shocked _ at the advice, but Kita lightly kicked her rhino in the side to move it along. She uncorked the waterskins at her waste and started putting out fires on her way to beat up her idiot friend, who had been thrown through a wall. 

She stopped her rhino and hopped off her saddle, putting the water back where it belonged. Her eyebrow rose incredulously as he clambered out of the hole he’d made in the wall. A trickle of blood ran down the side of his face as he glared at the town.

“Have you _ completely _ lost your mind?”

“_ Excuse me _?” 

A year ago, Zuko’s tone would’ve made her flinch back and plead forgiveness. Now, it made her raise an eyebrow and throw a hand out to gesture at the burning town. “You heard me! Kyoshi Island is _ neutral _ , why _ burn it down _?”

“They were harboring _ the Avatar _!”

“Oh, yes, the big bad Avatar! He’s a kid, Zuko!”

Zuko opened his mouth to shout back at her when a miniature deluge fell over them to put the fires out. They both turned to watch a giant sea serpent douse the entire village in water before it slunk back under the waves. Above, the fluffy silhouette of the Avatar’s companion animal flew away. 

“Back to the ship! Don’t lose sight of them,” Zuko ordered. The firebenders all followed the command and Kita simply hopped back onto her rhino to trail behind.

Zuko didn’t spare her a glance and she was suddenly very aware that he was angry at her. Where that would’ve terrified her a year ago (or even a few weeks ago after their Zhao encounter), now it was a nuisance. What good was having a best friend if they didn’t talk to you?

**-|-|-|-**

_ Kita was a _ frustrating _ person for Zuko, Iroh decided. His nephew had no idea what to do with the girl or how to act around her. To be fair, Zuko had never had much experience with kids his own age or girls, all his experience for both came from his sister and her friends. Kita was a breath of fresh air from the grown men the two royals had spent day and night with for the past year, but she was just so… scared. _

_ Iroh knew it was well within her rights to be terrified of them, as men and as Fire Nation (let alone firebenders), but he still wished to change that. _

_ Zuko was training on the deck, trying not to flinch at the flames aimed at him - his poor nephew was still afraid of being burned, even after a year - while Kita played Pai Sho with him. In the month and a half she had been aboard, she’d gotten _ remarkably _ good at it. So good Iroh started teaching her the patterns of the White Lotus without her knowledge. Soon, he’d teach her their codes, too, just in case. _

_ “Perhaps you should give it a try, my dear,” he suggested with a smile. _

_ The intense look of concentration slipped right off her face and morphed into a startled one. Her hand fell away from where it had been resting against her bottom lip. “I beg your pardon, Sir?” _

‘Ah, that will go in time, too,’_ Iroh thought. He disliked how uncomfortable she got when he’d asked her to call him simply by his name. “Bending, perhaps you and my nephew could benefit from a little friendly sparring.” _

_ Kita’s eyes widened an astonishing amount. “Sir? Isn’t that- That’s allowed?” _

_ “Well, of course!” Iroh gently admonished, thankfully receiving a blush rather than a flinch. “We’re surrounded by water, I couldn’t keep you from your element if I tried!” _

_ He remembered her reaction to accidentally bending her tea just three short weeks ago and found her hesitant nod to be especially uplifting. She rose to her feet with him and followed him over to where Zuko frantically blocked a blast. _

_ “My nephew-” _

_ “Not now, Uncle. I’ll have tea after this round,” Zuko ground out. _

_ Iroh simply raised a hand and nodded and the guard relaxed out of his stance and walked back inside. “I want you and Kita to spar. I think it would be good for the both of you.” _

_ “Sir?” Kita called from just behind him. She hesitated to meet his eyes when he looked at her. “I’m fairly out of practice. I’m not sure how well I’d do.” _

_ “This is just to get you both comfortable with sparring, my dear,” he smiled, which had finally started to relax the tension she kept in her shoulders. Anytime he smiled at her, she grew a little less tense, a little more sure of herself. “Firebending katas are easily translatable to waterbending, as well. I also know a few waterbender moves, you know.” _

_ Kita and Zuko both seemed mildly startled by the information. “You must truly be a great master, then, Sir.” _

_ Iroh chuckled and waved them to begin, smile still warm and encouraging. “I want to see how much you remember from your own training first.” _

_ He watched them awkwardly get into position. Zuko was unsure in his stance, still uncomfortable with his own fire, and Kita was nervous and standing tentatively on the balls of her feet. Her stance was remarkably similar to how Grand Lotus Pakku stood when they sparred. _

_ “Plant your nondominant foot, Kita,” he called from where stood, “and Zuko, keep a firm root.” _

_ Zuko relaxed into a more solid stance and Kita shifted her weight and planted her left foot. Zuko’s arms were up in perfect form, right arm poised up by his head, left extended in front of him, both fists clenched but loose. Kita’s arms were held tightly in front of her like she was about to ward off fists, not fire. Iroh stepped over and gently maneuvered them around into a proper form, ignoring the way she tightened up like a coil about to snap. _

_ “Stay loose, Kita. Your movements must be fluid.” _

_ She jerked her head towards him, recognition flaring across her face, and nodded. A look of determination crossed her face as she set her sights back on his nephew. _

_ Iroh stepped back again and nodded. “Begin,” he said and Zuko threw a blast of fire at her. Kita squeaked, abandoned her form and jerked her arms to the side. A wave rose up and knocked over the two firebenders. Once the wave passed, Iroh found himself and his nephew both precariously tangled on the guardrail. Iroh blinked sea water from his eyes and looked at one of his wards in utter surprise. No one could deny the raw talent it took to summon a wave with little-to-no training and an enormous amount of fear. “We can certainly work with this.” _

_ Zuko spat out a mouthful of ocean and coughed. He looked over at Kita, who looked too surprised to be terrified of what she’d done, and waved an arm at her incredulously. “Did you _ have _ to nearly throw us overboard?” _

_ Kita squeaked and darted over to them to help them both up. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to!” _

_ Zuko blinked first at Iroh, then at Kita, “you.. _ didn’t _ mean to bring on a _ tidal wave _ ?” _

**-|-|-|-**

Kita followed Zuko to find Iroh. It wasn’t hard to follow his trail, but it was irritating to have to find the old man in the first place. “Uncle, it’s time to leave!” Zuko shouted, “where are you? Uncle Iroh!”

“Over here,” Iroh called out happily just as his clothing caught Kita’s attention hanging from a low branch.

“Uh,” she blurted, but it didn’t stop Zuko from stepping around the branch or Kita from following. Kita’s eyes blew wide as she caught sight of the retired General relaxing in a hot spring.

“We need to move on,” Zuko all but ordered. “We’re closing in on the Avatar’s trail and I don’t want to lose him.”

“You look tired, Prince Zuko,” Iroh smiled calmly, not moving an inch from his reclined position. “Why don’t you join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles.”

The obvious attempt at distraction from the Avatar made Zuko’s blood boil more ferociously than the water of the spring. “My troubles cannot be soaked away. It’s time to go!”

Still refusing to budge, Iroh instead discreetly suggested abandoning the Avatar search. “You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little. The temperature’s just right. I heated it myself.”

Iroh finally moved, but only to shift his position and bring his hands together. He breathed steam out of his nose and Zuko angrily swatted the mini cloud away.

“Enough! We need to leave now! Get out of the water!” 

**“** Very well,” Iroh sighed. Zuko’s hand flew up to block his eyes while his other slapped over Kita’s as her jaw dropped. Never did she _ ever _ wish to see _ that _ again.

“On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes, but be back at the ship in half an hour or I'm leaving without you.” Zuko took hold of Kita’s arm and turned her around before removing his hand from her face and leading them away with a soft sigh of content from behind them as their exit music.

Once again at the hot spring, Kita prayed to Agni, Tui, and La that Iroh had at least put his pants on. She nearly looked away as Zuko pulled a branch back to reveal the little spring, only to find the rock tub empty of his uncle and destroyed by rocks.

“Uncle! Uncle, where are you?”

“Sir, maybe he thought you left without him?”

Kita snorted at the soldier’s suggestion. It sounded like Quin-Li under that mask. “Sure, like any of us would allow _ that _.”

Zuko ignored her comment like he had been since Kyoshi two weeks ago. “Something's not right here,” he mumbled and leaned down to get a closer look at the tub, “That pile of rocks…”

“It looks like there's been a landslide, sir.”

Kita sent the soldier a wry look. “Quin-Li, are you stupid? Land doesn't slide uphill.”

“Those rocks didn't move naturally,” Zuko continued and stood up straight. “My uncle's been captured by earthbenders.”

It only took around ten minutes to get to the ship and ready the komodo-rhinos, but Kita felt anxiety swirl in her gut. It didn’t matter _ what _ nation captured you, a prisoner is a prisoner and the world is at war. Just thinking about how Iroh could be mistreated made panic flair up.

On the trail, Zuko noticed the Avatar’s bison flying away and he startled. “The Avatar!”

Her anxiety rose higher at the open hope on his face. They didn’t have time for a side quest to capture the Avatar, they needed to find Iroh. She watched him deliberate which path to take, her hands clenching on the reigns, until he finally continued onward. 

Kita silently breathed a sigh of relief as she followed quickly after him. They raced after the ostrich-horse tracks on the ground and finally came upon a crater where the five animals were simply waiting for their riders to return. Down at the bottom of the crater was a sight that caught the breath in Kita’s throat.

Two Earth Kingdom soldiers were holding Iroh’s wrists down by chains while a third held a boulder aloft, prepared to cripple their captive, and two more simply stood watch. She was so stunned, she hadn’t even seen Zuko leave her side until he was already knocking the boulder away. She watched him break the chain between Iroh’s hands as she slid down the crater and uncorked her waterskins. 

“Excellent form, Prince Zuko,” she heard Iroh comment as she launched a watery punch at one of the soldiers. His attention went to her and evened the field a little for Zuko and Iroh.

“You taught me well,” Zuko responded.

Kita stared the soldier down, her friends at her back, as the clear captain shouted. “Surrender yourselves, it's five against three. You're clearly outnumbered.”

She felt Iroh shift his weight at her back just before he spoke. “Uh, that's true, but you are clearly outmatched.” 

At once, the earthbenders attacked. The man in front of Kita took a bold step forward, his attention on her arms. Reacting, Kita brought her right leg up while drawing water away from her right arm. The soldier was hit directly in the face and knocked to the ground, unconscious.

She drew the water back to her side as she spun around to her next target, which just so happened to be the captain about to throw a boulder into Zuko’s head. One jab from her left knocked the rock out of the air and away from Zuko, who took out the soldier he was fighting and swirled around. Her right arm punched out as Zuko’s did and the captain was knocked out by a dual blast of fire and water.

Kita looked around and took stock of the knocked out soldiers before she looked Zuko in the eyes. He smiled dorkily and she returned the gesture before his hand clapped onto Iroh’s shoulder and he smiled at him too.

Iroh smiled back before Zuko asked, loudly and exasperatedly, “Now would you please put on some clothes?”

**-|-|-|-**

“Sailing into Fire Nation waters... of all the foolish things you have done in your sixteen years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish.” Kita had to agree that their current path was utterly ridiculous. She didn’t ask _ how _ they’d gotten their information about the Avatar’s heading, but she didn’t particularly care, as long as they _ got away from Fire Nation waters _.

She exchanged nervous looks with Iroh and the guard, who was over on Zuko’s left, as the prince looked through a spyglass that so closely resembled a telescope, Kita simply called it as such. It worked like a telescope, anyhow.

“I have no choice, Uncle,” Zuko replied

“Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you?” Kita took a step back from Iroh. She had only ever heard the portly man yell once, when a man had made a crude remark to her at a market. That man was lucky only Iroh had been in hearing range. She tugged at the hem of her red shirt as Iroh’s face softened with worry, “what if you're caught? What if Kita’s caught?”

Zuko turned to his uncle and away from the spyglass, “I'm chasing the Avatar. My father will understand why I'm returning home.”

Kita’s mouth twisted at his words. From what she’d heard of the Fire Lord, no he would not. 

“You give him too much credit,” Iroh tried to speak sense into his nephew, “my brother is not the understanding type.”

Zuko simply turned back to the spyglass. He searched the skies for a few seconds before his back straightened, clearly finding the flying bison in the sky. “There they are. Helmsman, full steam ahead!”

A catapult is raised from below onto the deck of the ship, loaded with a steaming and smoldering boulder - at least, to Kita, it looked like a boulder. Kita stood just behind the catapult with Iroh and Zuko. Iroh’s nose wrinkled in disgust as he pulled out two fans, one he handed to Kita. They both tried to waft the smell of the kerosene-coated boulder away from their noses.

Groaning, Iroh complained, “really, Prince Zuko, couldn't you shoot them down with something more fragrant?”

“Here here,” Kita voiced her agreement.

Simply ignoring both of them, Zuko lit the smelly thing on fire and raised his arm in the air. “On my mark,” he called to the soldier manning the catapult, “fire!”

The soldier, whoever it was, cut the taut rope holding the basket down, sending the projectile hurtling towards the flying animal and the kids riding it.

Something on the water ahead caught Kita’s attention and she tugged on Zuko’s arm. “Uh, Zuko,” she nervously called, as if her tugging hadn’t caused his focus to shift to where her fan was pointed.

His eyes widened as he saw what made her so nervous, “a blockade.”

Behind them, Iroh tugged on his beard, “technically, you’re still in Earth Kingdom waters. Turn back now and they cannot arrest you.”

“I agree with turning back now,” Kita half-pleaded nervously, practically hanging from her friend’s arm. She completely ignored the glare he shot at both her and Iroh.

“He's not turning around,” Zuko stated as he shook Kita off his arm. 

Iroh tried pleading next as Kita stepped back behind him, eyeing the blockade nervously. “Please Prince Zuko, if the Fire Nation captures you, there is nothing I can do. Do not follow the Avatar.”

Bowing his head, Zuko sighed, “I'm sorry, Uncle.” Turning to his helmsman, he pointed forward. “Run the blockade.”

Kita’s eyes widened as flaming fireballs shot out from the blockade. Her hand shot out and latched onto Iroh’s sleeve. “Not good, Zuko, not good!”

“Shut up, I know!”

The fireballs impacting the ocean caused massive waves that rocked the ship, but the crew were used to rough seas. They all rocked with the ship, keeping their balance as best they could. A wave splashed over the deck from another fiery impact with the water, drenching everyone from the soldiers to Kita, Zuko, and Iroh. The waterbender watched, still clutching onto Iroh, with wide eyes as one fireball flew straight for them and slammed into the back of the ship. Zuko braced against the catapult as Iroh wrapped an arm around Kita and kept them both upright through sheer force of will.

Kita watched, completely shocked, as Zuko ran over to the engine master, an older man named Ping, to speak with him. She couldn’t hear what was said, but she didn’t like the determination and desperation on Zuko’s face when he turned back to the front.

Her blood ran cold as she barely caught his words, “do not stop this ship.”

“We’re on a collision course,” Iroh shouted desperately as he finally released Kita and allowed her to latch onto the catapult.

“We can make it!” Zuko shouted back.

The large ship almost directly in front of them suddenly jerked to a full stop and allowed the _ Wani _ to slip through the blockade unimpeded. Kita glanced over at the stopped ship and froze when her eyes caught on Zhao’s. The man stared directly at her and a grin slowly took over his face. Kita paled, but breathed a sigh of relief when they finally passed. She could feel her hands shaking and curled them into fists to stop them. 

Kita did not like where the situation was heading and she did not like being guilted into going with Zuko by a worried Iroh. 

“Uncle, keep heading north. Zhao will follow the smoke trail while we use it as a cover,” Zuko called up to Iroh from the skiff rocking on the water, Kita at his side.

She frowned nervously and watched the _ Wani _ pull further away. “I’m not so sure this’ll work, Zuko.”

“It has to.”

Kita sighed heavily and looked out at the ocean, “Commander Zhao is clever, he’ll know you’re up to something.”

“It’ll work,” he insisted.

The winding hallways of the temple of the Fire Sages were highly confusing, but thankfully each temple was identical to the last. Zuko easily lead her through the corridors with the confidence of a devout worshiper. 

She supposed it made sense, Zuko had once said that while his father had never been very religious, his mother was a devout worshiper and he followed the habit even after her disappearance. Unfortunately, he stopped after his banishment. Kita had lost touch with her own religion until Iroh had given her scrolls on Water Tribe religion. Studiously, she read all she could, then even asked for scrolls on Fire Nation religion. Now, she tended to practice a bit of both.

Up one last flight of stairs, where voices were filtering from, and it was a little _ too _ easy for Zuko to nab the Avatar and twist his arms behind his back.

Kita did not assist, but she didn’t stop him either. It didn’t bother her as much as it probably should have.

“Aang! Now’s your chance!” the Southern Water Tribe girl’s voice shouted.

Zuko took that as his cue to step out from behind the pillar, which Kita thought was not the brightest move. “The Avatar is coming with us.”

Kita raised her hands placatingly and shook her head, well aware she was out of view of her hotheaded friend. If Zuko was really about to go home, she wouldn’t follow, not while Fire Lord Ozai held the Dragon Throne.

There’s a brief struggle between the Sages and the Avatar’s friends before the majority of the Sages turned the tables and had one Sage and the Water Tribe kids tied up. Zuko pushed the struggling Avatar, apparently named Aang, back towards the opening of the stairs that lead back the way they’d come.

“Close the doors! Quickly!” Zuko shouted and continued to manhandle the kid forwards.

Aang looked over his shoulder at his friends and Kita knew he was about to do _ something _. She stepped back just in time to avoid being blown off balance and watched semi-amusedly as the kid kicked Zuko down the stairs.

“You okay?” she shouted down once he’d tumbled to a stop and only received a groan in response. A small foot hit her back and sent her right after the prince. She landed with a thud on top of him.

The two of them groaned in unison as Kita carefully looked up, only to come face-to-face with a wincing Zuko. They blinked at each other in shock for a moment before they both blushed deeply. “Get off me,” he shouted, but gently pushed at her shoulders.

As they both helped each other to their feet, a shout from above caught their attention. “He made it!” shouted a triumphant feminine voice. 

Zuko booked it up the stairs with Kita just behind him. They reached the top as a flash of light came from the sealed sanctuary doors.

Kita lounged against the pillar one of the Sages and the two siblings were tied to and inspected her nails as Zuko and the other Sages tried to open the sanctuary door.

“Why won’t it open? It’s sealed shut!”

Kita looked up at her friend and shifted her feet. “Clearly, Avatar Roku doesn’t want anyone to disturb them.”

“Not helping, Kita!” 

She stuck her tongue out at his enraged face and huffed.

“Why are you helping _ Prince Zuko _?” the girl asked quietly, clearly scandalized.

Kita glanced at her before watching the aforementioned prince argue with the Sage that was chained up. “You wouldn’t understand what he’s done for me.”

“So what, this is some messed up loyalty thing?” the boy asked, louder than his sister.

Zuko shot him a glare, but Kita simply stared at him. “You wouldn’t understand,” she repeated.

The sound of clapping hands startled Kita. Her head jerked to the side as Zhao stepped into the room with a group of soldiers. “What a moving and heartfelt performance. I'm certain the Fire Lord will understand when you explain why you betrayed him.

“Commander Zhao,” the Sages bowed.

“And Prince Zuko, it was a noble effort. But your little smoke screen didn't work. Two traitors, in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased. Ah, and my little water slave. Thank you for returning her.” 

Fire Nation soldiers moved towards both Zuko and Kita. The prince struggled, but Kita stood perfectly still, barely daring to breathe.

“You're too late, Zhao. The Avatar's inside and the doors are sealed,” Zuko spat vehemently.

Seeming nonplussed, Zhao shrugged, “no matter. Sooner or later, he has to come out.”

While they waited, Zhao had Zuko and Kita tied to the other pillar. He stalked over and grabbed Kita’s chin in a bruising grip.

“How did you do it?”

Kita swallowed anxiously and didn’t respond.

“Don’t touch her, Zhao,” Zuko growled lowly.

Zhao grinned, more a baring of teeth than anything else, “I wanna know how you did it. How you sent two of my men to the infirmary and one to the grave.”

Kita narrowed her eyes, suddenly overwhelmed with rage. Those men… they had tried to do horrible things to her. She hadn’t let them. And here was Zhao, acting like _ she _ was in the wrong. Kita locked eyes with Zhao and spat in his face. 

The Commander reeled back, hand jerking away from her to rub at his face. “You little bitch,” he growled and backhanded her.

The Water Tribe siblings both shouted something and Zuko jerked in his chains, hissing vehemently. Zhao stalked away from them and Kita slowly looked up at Zuko.

“We’ll get out of this, Kita,” he whispered, looking for all the world like he would do anything to get them out. “I promise.”

She felt his hand brush hers and latched onto it. “Swear it.”

“I swear.”

She could do nothing but believe him.

**-|-|-|-**

_ It was months after that first sparring match when Kita came up to Zuko and nervously asked if he could teach her how to fight without bending. Without asking any questions, he agreed. Zuko understood. He had trained under Master Piandao the art of swordsmanship incase anything happened to his bending (and to make up for what he lacked in comparison to _ perfect _ Azula). _

_ It was arduous work, more so than belatedly learning bending in (mostly) the wrong style. It wasn’t just the desire to learn for Kita - which was _ very _ strong as she had lost _ so much _ time that could’ve been spent learning - it was also out of fear. Logically, she knew, just as Zuko did, that no one could _ take _ her bending physically, but thinking of all those years forbidden from her element caused a paranoia and fear so strong she _ needed _ a new way to defend herself. _

_ Zuko understood that, too. His fear of fire following the Agni Kai had forced him away from his own element. His craft with the dual Dao became his main focal point for self defense and attack. He became very good very quickly. It wasn’t until months after the Agni Kai that he lit his own meditation candles, six until he let Uncle Iroh spar with him (and didn’t _ that _ end horribly. He’d had a flashback so intense he’d collapsed onto the deck in a sobbing mess). So Zuko understood her need for more defensive skills. _

_ Kita _ devoured _ the ship’s library. Iroh would sometimes find her passed out at the desk with scrolls and books laid out on the table and stacked on the floor. They quickly had to buy more reading material. She was beyond curious of the world and how it worked and its people and how _ they _ worked. She begged Iroh to teach her the language of the High Court, her reasoning being, “I’m a princess, too, I could teach you _ my _ High Court speak.” It was a fair cultural exchange. _

_ Kita learned to make tea like Iroh (though not nearly as well, but he wasn’t about to _ tell her _ that) and how to hussle the crew at Pai Sho. She learned the language of the Fire Nation High Court and the speech of sailors. _

_ One morning Iroh had emerged from below deck to find his nephew simply watching her on the deck. There was a metal bowl sitting innocently in the middle with a fire raging inside as she _ danced _ around it. Her movements were rough and stilted, but obviously intentional in a way that spoke of hours of practice in the past. It was an important dance for her. A stream of water followed her hand like a loyal partner as she twirled and stumbled and groaned and laughed. _

_ Iroh wasn’t sure _ what _ she was doing, but he bought her countless books and scrolls on dancing regardless. It was months later that she got on the tips of her toes and spun. _

**-|-|-|-**

This time was different. After their last encounter with Zhao, Kita was _ terrified _ . It had felt like she was set back _ months _ , almost a _ year _ . But this time, she was _ angry _. She wanted him to hurt, she wanted him to feel exactly what she felt. It seemed impossible to her how different she felt compared to last time.

Rather than locking herself away, Kita prowled the halls like an angry tigerdillo. She beat up the crew during sparring matches and healed them with minimal apologies. She got so aggressive during a match with swords against Zuko, she cut his arm. She’d apologized and healed him afterwards, but it didn’t stop the sizzling rage under her skin.

After that incident was when Iroh had sat her down, forced her to drink tea with him, and talked philosophical nonsense that somehow made sense.

After things cooled down, she started to grow more towards her usual self. She poked fun at Zuko and suckered the crew at _ any _ game they put in front of her and even started dancing on deck or reading in the library.

It was a bright and clear day when Kita was watching Zuko spar with another firebender when the ship veered so sharply off course, both of them fell over. While Kita had only barely managed to catch herself, as she was sitting down already, she still busted out laughing at the sight of the prince sprawled on the deck.

“Someone’s changing our course!” Zuko shouted as he scrambled onto his feet. He nearly slipped on the deck, which caused Kita to snort another laugh.

She eventually made her way into the ship and up to the bridge. Iroh was playing Pai Sho with Quin-Li while Zuko yelled at his uncle and the helmsman.

“You've changed our course for a stupid lotus tile?” Zuko grumbled.

Iroh kept his eyes on the game while sagely answering, “see, you, like most people, underestimate its value. Just give me ten minutes to check the merchants at this port of call. Hopefully they'll have the lotus tile in stock and I can get on with my life!”

“Yeah, Zuko,” Kita looked over the board and smirked at the pieces. Quin-Li was about to be out twenty dragons. “You could win the game with a single move of the lotus tile.”

Zuko ground his teeth together in clear agitation and muttered something along the lines of, “_ spending too much time with Uncle _,” before he seemed to finally boil over, blowing fire at the ceiling from his mouth. He then stomped out of the bridge.

Iroh smiled brightly and wafted smoke from his face, “I'm lucky to have such an understanding nephew.”

“Understanding,” Kita drawled, “_ right _.”

Quin-Li cried out in shame as Iroh delivered the winning blow. Smirking, Kita nudged him out of the way and sat down across from Iroh to begin a new game.

The market was lively and bright, ships from various places were moored at the docks and the people milled about in clothes of all colors. For Kita, seeing anything other than Fire Nation red was almost a shock to the system after the last few months of Fire Nation ports and no one but the crew. Zuko was pouting unhappily with his arms crossed over his chest while Iroh practically floated through the market and Kita bounced from stall to stall.

“I've checked all the shops on this pier. Not a lotus tile in the entire marketplace,” the old general deflated.

Zuko fumed, shouting at his uncle, “it's good to know this trip was a complete waste of time for everyone!”

“Quite the contrary. I always say the only thing better than finding something you were looking for, is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!”

“Yeah,” Kita beamed, eyes lighting up at a jewelry stand across the road, “especially if that something is _ shiny _ .” Her eyes floated over to a weapons stall right next to the jewler, “or _ sharp _.”

Despite the obvious enthusiasm Kita had, Zuko was focused on the crates his soldiers were towing back to the ship. Incredulously, he asked, “you bought a sunghi horn?”

“For music night on the ship. Now, if we only had some woodwinds…” Iroh trailed off before locking his sights on a pirate ship. “This place looks promising!”

Kita nodded without taking her eyes off of either shop. Zuko’s hand wrapped around her upper arm and tugged her to the pirate ship.

The ship was certainly entertaining with its exotic merchandise and odd crew. Iroh certainly seemed to be enjoying himself, poking at a monkey statue with rubies for eyes. “Ooo! That is handsome! Wouldn't it look magnificent in the galley?”

Zuko started asking questions to the captain while Kita browsed the shelves of scrolls. _ The Badgermole and the Bard _ , not good enough. _ Hiebei, the Spirit of the Forest _ , could be interesting. _ The Death of the Last Dragon _, oh? Gently, she pulled it from the shelf and slid right over to Iroh. She held it up to the general with a bright smile, “look! It’s about the last dragon! I didn’t even know they were extinct!”

Iroh suddenly had a very uncomfortable look on his face, “um, perhaps another scroll would be better, or a nice necklace or knife.”

The smile slipped from her face before coming back at the mention of the shops just outside. “We could stop at those shops?” Iroh relaxed and nodded, blowing out a breath when she turned to put the scroll back. Dragons were her favorite animal, she read everything she could about them, but didn’t know they had been hunted to extinction until now. He supposed he’d have to tell her soon.

Kita pouted as she was jolted around in the skiff as it chugged down the river. She hadn’t _ wanted _ to come along, per say, but she also hadn’t wanted to stay aboard the _ Wani _ where she’d be essentially useless just waiting around for Zuko and Iroh to get back from their latest attempt to capture the Avatar.

She leaned back against the rail and fiddled with the burgundy bracers on her arms. She didn’t want to help Zuko take away the world’s last hope, but she also wanted him to be able to go home and be happy. Naturally, she knew he could never be safe _ or _ happy in the Fire Nation palace, not while his father and sister were there. Azula was a danger to Zuko, but Ozai… he would _ destroy _ his son without a second thought. She started with the realization that she didn’t _ want _ Zuko to go home, and she knew Iroh didn’t either.

It wasn’t long before agitated shouting drew them over to where the Avatar’s friend, the girl, was trying to practice waterbending. Her form wasn’t good, which was affecting her ability to manipulate the water how she wanted. 

Kita watched from where she leaned against the side of the skiff, having not moved to help Zuko and the pirates, as they captured the girl and tied her to a tree. Only then did she follow Iroh off the skiff and to shore. 

“Tell me where he is and I won't hurt you or your brother,” Zuko said in an attempt to persuade the girl.

The waterbender was practically foaming at the mouth in anger and shouted in the prince’s face. “Go jump in the river!”

“Try to understand,” Zuko tried again, voice uncharacteristically calm, “I need to capture him to restore something I've lost: my honor.” Kita winced, but didn’t interrupt. “Perhaps in exchange I can restore something you've lost.”

He held up a blue ribbon with a carved pendant, holding it just up to her neck. Kita snorted, but slapped a hand over her mouth at the glare he shot her. He didn’t know. Zuko didn’t know he’d practically _ proposed to the girl _ \- if Southern traditions were the same as in the North, that is.

“My mother's necklace!” the girl shouted - ah, so that’s why a fourteen year old had a betrothal necklace. “How did you get that?”

“I didn't steal it, if that's what you're wondering. Tell me where he is.”

Indecision flashed across her face for just a second before she snapped, nearly baring her teeth, “no!”

The Pirate’s Captain stepped forward, clearly impatient, “enough of this necklace garbage. You promised the scroll!”

Zuko held it aloft in his hand, his other hand lighting a fire under it. “I wonder how much money this is worth?” The pirates all gasped and Kita’s back straightened. She recognized the insignia from her people. “A lot, apparently. Now you help me find what I want, you'll get this back and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here.”

The Captain seemed to deflate, “fine.”

Kita reached out and touched his arm, gently pushing it away from the scroll. “May I?” He eyed her dubiously, but handed the scroll over nonetheless. She stepped back to Iroh’s side as she unraveled the scroll. Her eyes widened at the depictions of waterbenders painted across the canvas. They were beautiful depictions of waterbending katas and she was practically mesmerized. Kita knew she was a good bender, but her katas were more power-based, she bent water like a firebender. The katas on the scroll were more fluid than she was used to, but with practice, it would be easy for her to learn.

While she’d been studying the scroll, the pirates had went off to search for the Avatar and the girl’s brother. They returned with both boys restrained. Zuko reached out and grabbed the scroll, giving her a stern, but almost mournful look, as he pulled the relic of her people from her hands. She let him take it.

The prince held the scroll out to the captain, “nice work.”

“Aang, this is all my fault,” the girl said, looking ashamed of herself and still tied to the tree.

Aang, bless the kid, shook his head reassuringly, “no, Katara, it isn't.”

Iroh shifted slightly beside Kita and simply said, “Yeah, it kind of is.” Kita gently elbowed his side, but made no other moves.

“Give me the boy,” Zuko demanded.

Contrite, the captain parried with his own demand, “you give us the scroll.”

“You're really gonna hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchment?” the boy asked, clearly askance.

“Hey!” Kita blurted, “that’s a sacred waterbending scroll from _ my _ Tribe, kid!”

“Don't listen to him!” Zuko shouted over her, ignoring the hole she was trying to glare into the back of his head. “He's trying to turn us against each other.”

“Your friend is the Avatar?” the captain asked, looking dubiously at Aang.

“Sure is,” the boy confirmed and Kita realized _ exactly _what he was doing, “and I'll bet he'll fetch a lot more on the black market then that fancy scroll.”

“Shut your mouth, you water tribe peasant!”

“Hey!” Kita was once again ignored by her _ infuriating _ best friend.

“Yeah, Sokka, you really should shut your mouth,” Aang agreed. The kid was clearly nervous and Kita couldn’t blame him. She’d been sold to Zhao on the Black Market, it was _ not _ a fun place.

The boy - Sokka, and wasn’t it strange to hear tribal names again? - kept talking, clearly trying to sway the pirates. “I'm just sayin', it's bad business sense. Just imagine how much the Fire Lord would pay for the Avatar. You guys would be set for life!”

The captain considered for just a moment before pointing over at Zuko, “Keep the scroll! We can buy a hundred with the reward we will get for the kid.”

Quicker than lightning, Kita had _ whooped _ and swiped the scroll from Zuko’s hand. He let her, if only to growl over at the pirates, “You'll regret breaking a deal with me!”

The impending fight ensued and Kita tucked the scroll into her belt to free her hands. One pirate, a thin man with yellowed teeth, went for her, but Kita planted her feet and pulled from the river. The water followed her command as she hit him from the side, knocking him off balance. She got into his guard and hooked a foot around his ankle. With a twist, the man toppled over. Pulling from the river again, Kita manipulated the water over him and froze it solid, leaving the man trapped to the ground.

Another man ran at her with a sword raised, so she spun on the ball of one foot and lashed out with the other, roundhouse kicking the sword from his hand. She didn’t care for where it landed as she punched the man in the nose. His head reeled back, but he swiftly recovered, enough to grab her left arm. Mild panic raced up her spine, but she forced it down and blocked a jab aimed for her face. She didn’t have time to stop the knee aimed for her stomach and felt the wind almost leave her. She recovered quickly and brought her own knee up, landing squarely between the man’s legs. He made a pathetic noise and hunched. Seeing the perfect opening Kita grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back and bodily rammed him into a tree hard enough to knock him out.

She turned, fully expecting a new opponent, but none came. Iroh had broken up Zuko and the captain and was pointing to the river. Kita followed his arm to see the Avatar had stolen the pirate ship.

The captain loudly swore and took off as Zuko busted out laughing. He quickly stopped when the skiff chugged by loaded with pirates. One pulled his pants down to moon them. Kita raised an eyebrow imperally at the scene as she stepped up to her friends’ sides.

“Hey! That's my boat!” Zuko shouted in a panic, taking off to try and catch them.

Iroh scratched his chin in thought while Kita hid a grin behind her hand. “Maybe it should be a proverb,” he mused. Kita didn’t understand, but she didn’t ask him to explain either.

“Come on, Uncle, Kita!” Zuko shouted from just down the bank. Kita sighed and walked sedately after him. Zuko was a hotheaded idiot and too angry for his own good, but he was her best friend and she’d follow him to the ends of the Earth Kingdom and the sea beyond.

Kita picked up her pace when Iroh did and jogged after the Fire Nation Prince, all the way to the edge of a waterfall. In an impressive display of waterbending (which she watched _ very _ closely) Aang and Katara turned to ship to lay across the river, stopping the fall with two whirlpools. The idiot pirates, probably ignorant as to how to operate a skiff, rammed into the ship and sent it over the lip of the waterfall where they followed.

“My boat!” Zuko cried, arms flailing and looking like he would implode any second.

Iroh seemed to catch his breath and chuckled as one hand rifled through a sleeve, “Prince Zuko, you're really going to get a kick out of this. The missing lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!”

Kita snorted, an almost hysterical laugh bubbling up in her throat. Iroh was just _ too much _ sometimes and she would never tire of his antics. The entire trip to the market and beyond had been _ pointless _ because he _ still had the lotus tile_. She loved him with all her heart.

And, as she watched Zuko snatch the lotus tile from Iroh and chuck it angrily over the ‘fall, she knew she loved Zuko, too.

  


**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how good this is, but it can't be all that great. I don't know. 
> 
> thank you for reading!
> 
> please comment below! I live off of feedback!


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